>> ON THE SCENE TORONTO 2002: Controversy Sells in Canada, Miramax andLions Gate Get New Pix

(indieWIRE: 09.10.02) — Lions Gate‘s new slogan, “Five Proud Years, OneIndependent Spirit,” was waved proudly yesterday as president Tom Ortenbergannounced the acquisition of one of the most controversial and shocking filmscurrently playing on the festival circuit. Meanwhile, Miramax has nabbed acontroversial film that was just honored with the top award in Venice.

While Lions Gate nabbed U.S. rights to Gaspar Noe‘s “Irreversible,” a moviethat caused an uproar when it debuted this year in Cannes, Miramax was saidhave nabbed a controversial film which was just honored with the top awardat the Venice Film Festival, “The Magdalene Sisters.”

Cannes festival-goers walked out on “Irreversible’s” violent moments,including an extended rape scene, while in the case of Peter Mullan’saward-winning new film, the Catholic Church in Italy has come out againstthe pictire.

“Gaspar Noe has created a cinematic masterpiece, “Irreversible” isbrilliant and controversial and will be a perfect complement to theLions Gate theatrical release schedule,” Ortenberg said yesterdayin a prepared statement.

Screening in the Toronto Film Festival’s Visions section, “Irreversible”will screen for press and industry today (Tuesday) and will be unveiled forthe public on Thursday, while “Sisters” is set to debut here in Torontotomorrow. [Eugene Hernandez]

>> Indie Film World Remembers 9/11: Programming Highlights

(indieWIRE: 09.10.02) — Those looking for alternatives to the big TVnetworks’ remembrances of September 11, the independent film communityoffers some alternatives. Here are some highlights of programs this week:

*At the Toronto International Film Festival, which was scarred by thetragedy during its 2001 festival, organizers are presenting a gala screeningof “The Guys.” This dramatic feature is based on Anne Nelson’s play about awriter helping a firefighter craft eulogies for his colleagues that werekilled at Ground Zero. Jim Simpson directed “The Guys” and his wifeSigourney Weaver stars, alongside Anthony LaPaglia. The other September 11gala in Toronto is “11’09″01,” a compilation of shorts from 11 directorsincluding Amos Gitai, Shohei Imamura, Ken Loach, Mira Nair and Sean Penn.Related programming in other Toronto sections includes Nancy Savoca‘s “Reno:Rebel without a Pause,” Robert Edwards‘ “The Voice of the Prophet,” and JayRosenblatt‘s “Prayer.” The Toronto Fest will also go dark until 11 a.m.tomorrow morning.

*The CameraPlanet documentary “Seven Days in September” has been playing intheaters in New York since Friday and opens in Los Angeles this Friday (witha national rollout to follow). This doc includes footage and remembrances by28 filmmakers and ordinary New Yorkers, and it chronicles the September 11attacks and six days of the aftermath that followed. All net proceeds fromthe screenings will go to three World Trade Center-related charities. “SevenDays in September” also will screen at the New York Historical Society, theBoston Film Festival, and the Smithsonian.

*At the Kitchen art gallery in Chelsea, viewing stations are set up allmonth to show episodes related to September 11 from WNET‘s “Reel New York“series.

*At New York’s American Museum of the Moving Image, a program on Wednesdayincludes “WTC Uncut,” by Steven Mudrick and Bryan Kortis. “WTC Uncut” takesan unusual approach by presenting a single, continuous video of the towerson September 11, accompanied by various news reports and interviews. Thepublic debut of the film will be at the New York Historical Society onTuesday, and a shorter 30-minute version of the film will be shown dailyafter September 11. Outside of New York, the work will be shown at the GeneSiskel Film Center at the Art Institute of Chicago, the Indianapolis Museumof Art, Montana’s Myrna Loy Center for the Performing and Media Arts, theUniversity of Missouri, Kansas City’s Tivolil Cinema, Seattle’s 911 MediaArts Center, and Carnegie Mellon University.

*At New York’s Film Forum, they are presenting a film about “the otherSeptember 11.” Film Forum will premiere “The Pinochet Case,” about theChilean revolution of September 11, 1973.

*The Screening Room will be showing Jason Kliot‘s short “Site” with itsfeature presentations for the week. “Site” shows the shocked faces of NewYorkers after September 11, accompanied only by composer Arvo Part‘s“Spiegel im Spiegel.”

*In San Francisco, the San Francisco Film Society is hosting a roundtablediscussion, In Conversation: Bay Area Filmmakers and September 11,tomorrow and September 18. Participating filmmakers include Caveh Zahedi,Lynn Hershman Leeson, Henry Rosenthal and Sophia Constantinou. Proceeds fromthe event will benefit the Twin Towers Orphan Fund.

*In Vancouver, the Pacific Cinematheque will screen the collective filmproject “Underground Zero,” which has been popular on the festival circuitthis year. “Underground Zero” includes 13 diverse short works programmed byfilmmakers Jay Rosenblatt and Caveh Zahedi. Also, the Cinematheque ishosting a series called “in/tangible cartographies: new arab video.”

*As for the TV networks devoted to independent film, the Independent FilmChannel has been hosting what it calls its Tribute to the Human Spirit, withfive nights of films about the strength of humanity. Tonight throughWednesday, selections include John Ford‘s “The Grapes of Wrath,” BilleAugust‘s “Les Miserables,” George Stevens‘ “The Diary of Anne Frank,” JohnSayles‘ “Passion Fish,” and Robert Redford‘s “The Milagro Bean Field War.”On September 11, the Sundance Channel will present “9 Views: 9/11,” aprogram of nine shorts inspired by September 11, 2001.

*Online, ITVS presents the Web program “Face to Face,” produced by filmmakerRob Mikuruyi, about the affect of Pearl Harbor on Japanese Americans. Alsoonline is “9.11 moments,” 34 diverse one-minute spots. Those sites can befound at www.itvs.org. [compiled by Wendy Mitchell]

>> Tribeca, Sloan Partner for Science-Themed Script Development Program

(indieWIRE: 09.10.02) — Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal, co-founders ofthe Tribeca Film Institute, have issued a call for scripts with scientificor technological themes to be considered for development under a newpartnership the Institute has struck with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

The Tribeca/Sloan Film Program will consider scripts that have a scientificor technological theme and story line or have a leading character who is ascientist, engineer, or mathematician. Each submission should include afeature-length script, a short synopsis of the script (no more than twopages), and a resume/bio of the writer. The program will not accept sciencefiction story lines.

In the program’s first year, two writers will be chosen to participate andwill be provided with financial support and insight from an advisory panelof leading filmmakers and experts in science and technology. At least onescript will be read at the second-annual Tribeca Film Festival in spring2003, and the completed film will be screened at the 2004 Festival.

The Tribeca/Sloan Film Program builds on the initial partnership between theAlfred P. Sloan Foundation and Tribeca during the first Tribeca FilmFestival in May 2002. The Foundation supported the Science and TechnologyFilm Series as well as two panel discussions. [Matthew Ross]

[Scripts should be submitted to the Tribeca Film Institute, 375 GreenwichStreet, New York, NY 10013 — Attn: Tribeca/Sloan Film Program, and theywill be accepted through November 1.]